Claimant to Sulu “Sultanate” is beholden to the Philippines President

Although the Sultanate is no longer officially recognized by any state as a sovereign entity, many individuals continue to claim the title of “Sultan of Sulu and North Borneo”, often with documentation that would seem to support their claims. This is a scan of “Memorandum Order 427” of 1974, which is the Presidential decree of Ferdinand Marcos “recognising” Sultan Mahakuttah A. Kiram as Sulu ruler. The question here is this: why would a Sultan seek “recognition” from the Philippines President, since a Sultan who has real power does not require any such documentation and will only seek the approval of his own people?